


By Your Leave

by junko



Series: Written in the Scars (of Our Hearts) [24]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Blow Jobs, M/M, Original Character(s), Public Humiliation, Public Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-14
Updated: 2013-09-14
Packaged: 2017-12-26 13:53:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/966699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the trip to the sex museum ends up a bust, Renji and Byakuya check out the nearby resort town.  After some antics with the local ghost population, they end up at a hot springs.  It isn't quite public sex when people can't see you in spirit form, is it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Your Leave

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks go to Josey (cestus) for her usual cheerleading, spell-checking, and general support. She hasn't read the very end yet, though, so if it's riddled with misspellings that's entirely down to me. Also, she's the one who initially found me a reference to Japan's strange abandoned sex museums. I've since lost the url, but believe me, they exist, and they're even weirder that what I've written here!
> 
> If you're tuning in for the smut, feel free to skim to the second to last space break.
> 
> And a big thanks to everyone who came out of the woodwork to congratulate me on my marriage! I appreciate all the kind words and all that! Thanks!

The sex museum was… not nearly as titillating as a person might hope, Renji decided, tilting his head in confusion at the diorama of the mounting deer. In this section the cavernous, dusty room was filled with taxidermy of animals fucking. The previous ‘gallery’ had been filled with human mannequins in sexual positions… some of them clearly fantasized, since there were odd things growing out of nipples and cocks… and yeah.

But, Renji understood now why the taxi driver had been sure they were up to mischief. The whole place was dark, smelled of mold, and it was clearly a favorite hang out for vandals. Glass cases had been smashed and some of the statues had been dismembered… or otherwise tampered with in ways Renji didn’t want to think about too hard. There were empty beer and pop bottles tucked into corners and litter on the floor.

Weirdly interesting, but ‘decidedly not hot,’ as Byakuya had said after they’d made their way through narrow hallways filled with stone statues of penises and vaginas, some so abstract that they looked like mushrooms or bowls and not much more. 

“Man, this place,” Renji said, shaking his head. “I don’t even…” He trailed off when words failed.

“Perhaps it gets better,” Byakuya said coming to stand beside where Renji stared, baffled at the various dead, saw-dust stuffed animals. “I must admit I’d hoped for something a little more… erotic.”

Renji nodded. There had been a few replicas of woodblock prints hanging on the walls they’d passed, but… well, frankly, Byakuya had a better collection. And, many of his were originals.

Plus, there really wasn’t much outside of the ‘norm.’ Renji noticed a serious lack of hot guy-on-guy action. There were a few, scattered here and there, but—well, frankly, there’d been a lot more exciting stuff at the manga shop. Maybe the ‘gai’ room was still to come, as it were?

“This is a disappointment,” Byakuya said.

“I don’t know,” Renji lifted the corner of his mouth in a little smile. “It’s private. It’s dark. We could make our own sex history.”

Byakuya let out a little snort through his nose. It sounded both disgusted and a little amused. “Do you think of nothing else?”

“Not really,” Renji admitted with a wag of his eyebrows. But, then he shrugged seriously, “I just hate to waste the trip out here.”

“There is a small town just down the road,” Byakuya said. “I saw signs on the highway indicating there was an ōnsen. Perhaps we should check that out.”

A resort town, no doubt. Still, it sounded promising. Renji nodded, “Sure, let’s check it out. Maybe we can find you a bookstore.”

“You would stop at a bookstore for me?” Byakuya sounded really surprised and touched. “Won’t you be bored out of your mind?”

“Heh, that’s love for ya, baby.” 

#

They walked along a narrow twisting road that wound its way up a mountainside. An occasional car zipped by, forcing them into the tall grasses of the ditch. Overhead, leaves were turning bright yellows, oranges and reds. In the underbrush clover bloomed and chipmunks scurried through the leaves frantically gathering acorns for their winter store. The afternoon sun was dappled where it shown through the leaves and the breeze brought with it the scent of the coming rain and rotting oak leaves.

Which made Renji think of Aizen….With a glance at Byakuya, Renji decided he was going to have to put aside his doubts about this upcoming war. Not only did he have to come back for all this crazy ‘marriage’ stuff, but Byakuya had sworn to demote him if he died.

And, Renji really wouldn’t put it past Byakuya not to make good on that promise.

Just ahead they could see a small town. It was a mix of more modern shops that lined the main road and minka, traditional peasant farmhouses with sharply-sloped thatched roofs that went straight to the ground. 

There were a few people out on a late Sunday afternoon. A small farmers’ market was set up near the town’s main road. As they approached, vendors called out to them to try the last of the season’s gourds or to buy a lucky charm for the shrine or a bouquet of wild kikyou, deep blue balloon flower. Impulsively, Renji stopped in front of the flower girl and thrust out several yen, “How much?”

She plucked a few coins from his hand and handed over the flowers. The arrangement included some white flower Renji didn’t recognize and a few nadeshiko, with their light lavender fringed blossoms. 

Renji thrust them at Byakuya. “Wild,” Renji said. “Like me.”

Taking the flowers, Byakuya inspected them and instantly started to rearrange them more artfully, “Actually, these are traditional autumn flowers for ikebana and… a common weed.”

Renji started to wilt at the implication that maybe it wasn’t good enough until he saw Byakuya struggling to repress a smile. Rubbing the back of his neck, Renji grinned and blushed, “Oh, more like us, then?”

“Yes, and I love them,” Byakuya said, taking a smell. 

When Byakuya glanced up into Renji’s eyes, Renji could see the ‘And I love you, too’ and Renji felt a huge, sloppy grin break out on his face. Without saying anything else, they continued down the road. Renji clasped his hands behind his head, feeling like the luckiest guy in the whole world.

They passed a store proclaiming that it sold ‘antiques.’ Renji had to stop to point to a few of the things in the window and remark, “Some of this stuff is more modern than what you’d find in the Soul Society.”

“Indeed,” Byakuya agreed, peering in the shop. “Let’s go in. I see a lovely tansu that might go in the war room.”

Renji wasn’t sure what the war room was, but he figured it must be at the estate. 

As Renji held the door open for Byakuya, Byakuya continued, “I’ve been thinking of redecorating. Ever since you… that is, until I replaced so many things in the captain’s quarters, I never realized how many places in the division and at the estate are still indelibly marked by my grandfather’s taste and style. It’s time to make them my own.”

That sounded like a good idea to Renji, especially since it seemed grandpa was an ass. “But how you going to get stuff home?”

“If I wish to buy anything, I’ll call Eishirō,” Byakuya said pulling out his cell phone. 

Renji nodded, though he never quite understood the mechanics of the senkaimon. He knew people had to be dead to pass through it, and even then they needed a Hell butterfly to guard over their soul. But, objects? Could a bunch of servants from the estate just haul a piece of furniture to the land of the dead, or would they have to burn it at some altar and pick it up on the other side?

Some day Renji should ask Shuu how he managed a motorcycle.

A bell rang as they opened the door. The interior of the shop was dim, but it smelled pleasantly of dust and wood polish, like an old library. An old woman looked up as they came in and her eyes got wide. She clutched her chest and took in a breath. “Is it time to go?” she asked Byakuya, whom she seemed to focus on most sharply.

“Not quite yet, obā-san,” Byakuya said. “We’re more interested in your furniture.” 

Something about that made her laugh, “Ah, my old things! You wouldn’t believe how many ghosts this shop attracts! Maybe your friend could clean them up for me, while I show you my finest?”

Renji nodded, digging through his pockets for his trust monkey-headed Pez dispenser and Urahara’s soul pills. “I could do that.”

“Let me rouse my no-good grandson. He can show you where the clingy ghosts are,” the old woman said. Then, she disappeared behind a curtain into the back of the shop.

“That was unusual,” Byakuya said.

Renji nodded, but, looking at Byakuya, he could see how it might have happened. The captain was burning through his gigai. Even limited as Byakuya was, the false body was having a tough time containing his massive spiritual energy. His true self was starting to leak through the weaker spots. They were lucky Hollows weren’t popping up everywhere the way he was. Plus, Renji pointed out, “Some people are naturally sensitive.”

“Yes, but she instantly recognized exactly what we were. And this place does attract spirits. Look.”

Renji glanced around the shop, suddenly noticing a few shy heads poking up from behind desks and tables and chests of drawers. 

Kids.

Ghost kids.

And fucking a’, there was a whole gang of ‘em. Maybe an even dozen from the looks of it. Ugh. Why did it have to be ghost children? 

Renji would never admit it to anyone, but he couldn’t stand konsoing kids. It wasn’t like they gave him the creeps or anything, but he hated lying to them when they asked shit like, ‘am I off to a better place?’ Or, worse, ‘Will I finally see…?’ whoever the hell they missed the most—mom, sister, brother, dad…. It was heartbreaking.

Anyway, what was he supposed to say? Sure, kid, if you’re lucky and fate don’t deal you a fucked-up hand and drop you in some shithole like it did me… oh, and bonus: you got no chance of finding your loved one again.

With a heavy sigh, Renji sat down on the floor and propped himself up against one of the bigger chests. Popping the pill, he burst out of the gigai. “You,” he told the mod soul, “Try not to fucking embarrass me.”

“Meow,” it said.

Renji just shook his head in despair. Just then, the teenage grandson came out from behind the curtain followed by the old lady. He looked around the room with far too knowing eyes. When he stopped and stared directly at Renji, it was clear this boy wasn’t entirely human.

Yet, he could’ve passed any of the people Renji went to high school with. He had moderately short black hair, rumpled by sleep, and the long, lanky body of masculine puberty. He was barefoot, wore cut off shorts, and a tee-shirt with some baffling characters on it that Renji thought might be some kind of chemistry or math joke, he wasn’t sure. 

The kid frowned at them, his eyes lighting on the mod soul who was picking himself up off the floor and looking at his hands like they were the most amazing things ever. The kid shook his head, “I don’t know why you woke me up, gramma. You got two shinigami at your doorstep, plus… an extra… meowing thing in a body. The point is, I’m pretty sure they can see the damn brats! I’m going back to bed!” With that he stomped past his grandmother and into the back.

Huh.

Sort of reminded Renji of Ichigo.

Clearly, Byakuya felt the same way. “Your grandson is ill-mannered.”

The grandma wrung her hands as Renji moved over to where the ghost-kids were hiding. They’d huddled together in a clot between some shelves and stared up at him the way he used to gawp at the big yakuza thugs in Inuzuri. A couple of the boys had started blubbering and muttering ‘please, no.’ 

Shit. Could this be any harder? He drew Zabimaru. 

If the sound of steel clearing scabbard bothered the old lady, she didn’t show it. In fact, she seemed to have a lot more trouble tracking Renji now that he was in his shinigami form. 

“I’m so very sorry, sir,” she apologized to Byakuya. “My grandson is rude because he’s had such a rough life. My daughter had a terrible accident just before he was born, and her mind was never the same. The father couldn’t cope and ran off and left them both. I… I’m ashamed to say, not long after that she committed suicide right here in our shop.”

Ah, that’s why all the spirits were drawn here. Tragedy collected lost souls. “Come here, you kids,” Renji said gently, “Time to move on.”

“No!” one of the little girl ghosts with a single pig-tail on the side of her head, boldly stepped up and stood in front of her friends. She spread her arms, as though to protect her colleagues. Ugh, this whole thing was killing Renji. That was, until the little ghost girl stomped her foot and said, “We like it here! We don’t want to leave! Gramma feeds us!”

Renji’s head drooped in defeat. “You ain’t supposed to feed ‘em, old lady!”

She clearly couldn’t hear Renji, because Byakuya repeated, “You would have fewer ghosts, respected grandmother, if you didn’t leave them offerings.”

“Oh, I know!” she wailed, “But, you see, my daughter, she had a stillborn baby girl, Tadashi’s twin! I just… I have an ojizō-sama altar in the back for her and one day they all started showing up. I couldn’t turn them away!”

Renji shook his head. This place was crazier than the sex museum. 

“It can be dangerous if they stay too long, however--” Byakuya was admonishing, but he was distracted when the mod soul in Renji’s gigai came up and tweaked one of Byakuya’s forelocks. 

Okay, that was it. Renji had to put aside his hesitations and get back in that body ASAP. Flipping Zabimaru around, he pressed the seal into the little ghost girl’s head. With a gasp, her eyes rolled up into her head. She dematerialized until all that remained was a spark.

Of course, this freaked out all the other ghost kids, who instantly scattered.

“Renji!”

“I’m on it, Taicho!” Renji said, wrestling the nearest kid to the ground long enough to sloppily press the seal to a forehead. He disappeared with a squeak.

But, catching the rest was utter chaos. 

In fact, Byakuya must have gotten tired of watching the comedy of errors or fending off the mod soul’s weird advances, because the last of them was sent off by Senbonzakura in an explosion of blinding light that smelled a bit like a cherry bomb.

When Renji was finally able to see again, he pulled himself up out of the giant garden mortar bowl he’d gotten tag-teamed tripped into, and said, “You don’t do a lot konso, do you, Taicho?”

“Very rarely,” Byakuya admitted, sheathing Senbonzakura. “Too strong?”

“A bit. Though, I think that took care of ‘em,” Renji said, looking around the shop. Truthfully, it was a bit hard to tell in the jumble. Renji’s mad dash through the place had upset a few things. 

The shopkeeper had fainted and her teenage grandson had come back out during the commotion to kneel over her body. The kid was shaking his head at the two of them. “You idiots trashed this place,” he noted. “Gramma’s gonna shit.”

“We will reorganize the place, and if anything is damaged, I will pay for it,” Byakuya said, getting back into his gigai. “But, you will tell your grandmother to stop leaving offerings at the Jizō shrine.”

“Or at least move it down the road some,” Renji offered kindly. When Byakuya looked at him, he said, “This place is a sink hole with the suicide. A couple of feet might make the difference and then, you know, she can still take care of her granddaughter.”

“Ah, of course. That would be acceptable.” Byakuya glanced at the teen.

“Deal,” the kid said. Wiping his hands on his cut-offs, he stood up. “Let me get you a broom.”

#

Of course it was Renji who ended up doing most of the clean up, but, honestly, he didn’t mind. Byakuya soothed the old lady’s ruffled feathers by offering to buy a whole pile of stuff. Renji was just finishing organizing the last of the spilled sea-shell tops in their box, when Byakuya phoned Eishirō to tell him to bring the checkbook and a couple of extra servants.

Arrangements made, Byakuya shoved the cell back into his pocket and turned to Renji. “I think after this, what you and I need is a quiet dinner at the ryokan and a nice long soak at the sentō.”

“That’d be awesome,” Renji agreed, returning the broom to the surly grandson. Tadashi, was it? 

As they left, Byakuya took a moment to stare long and hard at the young man, as though committing his face to memory. Renji held the door, worried for a moment that there’d be some kind of a showdown, especially when the kid lifted his chin defiantly. But, Byakuya turned smartly on his heels and swept out.

Renji glanced at Tadashi and shook his head. “Stay out of trouble. You don’t want that guy coming back for you, trust me.”

Tadashi’s eyes flashed briefly, but then a thought seemed to hit him. With a shrug, he turned away. “It’s just as fine with me if I never see either of you two morons again.”

God, this kid. He was like an Ichigo clone. 

Or maybe all teenagers were asses.

Renji left him with a, “Whatever,” and hurried to catch up to Byakuya.

#

The hostess at the inn looked a little leery of Renji’s tattoos, but she gave them a respectable table where they could look out over the garden. The sentō was clearly a natural hot springs, as their view included a beautiful series of waterfalls that were surrounded by ferns and tall pine trees. The air smelled metallic and tangy, and Renji could almost feel the steam opening pores in his skin where they sat.

“I bet that’s really hot water,” Renji said.

Byakuya’s nose was deep in the menu. “This explains that there are two main minerals found in this particular hot spring: iron and salt. Apparently, traces of radium are also in the water and are considered a health benefit. Many people travel here for the ‘balneotherapy,’ bath healing, and there are several pools specifically set aside for people with arthritis and other joint pain.”

That would explain the older crowd, Renji thought. “You think it’ll cure bruises?” Renji asked, thinking back on the scuffle with the ghost kids.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow over the menu. “Given that those were sustained in your spirit form, probably not.”

“But,” Renji said, raising his arm and pulling back his sleeve to show off a purpling bite mark on the underside of his bicep, “Injury seems to translate to this body.”

Byakuya’s eyes grew wide, and then he shook his head. “I will never understand the mind of Kisuke Urahara.”

When the waitress arrived with a bottle of sake, Renji nodded, “I’ll drink to that.”

Byakuya set the menu down and told the waitress that they’d just have the house special, a locally-flavored, seasonal kaiseki. She glanced at Renji to confirm that was what he wanted. He nodded, “Sure, sounds good.”

Smelling the sake, Byakuya pulled back sharply. He handed the container to Renji. “Smell this. Is it okay?”

Renji took a deep sniff. It was fine, just factory produced. “Yeah, it’s what passes as high class swill here.”

Byakuya looked horrified. “Ah, I see. I suppose you’d best pour it.”

Renji had just finished when the waitress brought out an appetizer in a plates shaped like maple leaves. It seemed to be some kind of persimmon marinated sushi and simmered sweet potato. After Byakuya said grace over it, Renji dug in. A little frou-frou and gone in about three seconds, but tasty. 

Sipping sake, Renji waited as Byakuya savored every finely shaped bite. Byakuya sat seiza like usual, though Renji thought it must be more uncomfortable in jeans. Even in button up shirt, Byakuya looked… out of place, not of this world. He was too beautiful, too ethereal. Too much like an unearthly prince.

Which he was, Renji supposed. And, there wasn’t going to be much left of that gigai either, just some smoldering ruins, burned clean through by Byakuya’s glory.

“What are you thinking, looking at me like that?” Byakuya wondered.

“You’re going to have to get out of that soon,” Renji said, tipping his glass in the direction of Byakuya’s chest. “Or you’re going to fuse to it like Rukia did.”

Byakuya looked down at his chest as if expecting a hole. Not seeing one, he glanced at his watch. “I have three more hours in the safety zone.”

That’s what the watch was for! One of Urahara’s inventions, no doubt. The waitress came and collected their dishes replacing them with a fragrant mushroom soup served in a tea kettle. Clever. Renji reached to serve, but Byakuya got there first.

“Let me,” Byakuya said. “You poured the sake.”

Renji sat back and watched Byakuya pour soup into his bowl. It was nostalgic to see Byakuya with tea kettle in hand, like all their breakfasts over the months past, good and bad. They’d come a long way, he supposed: from a drunken order to strip to a… proposal of sorts. Renji wasn’t sure what to make of it all. 

Out of the blue and very seriously, Byakuya said, “I’m so terribly sorry, Renji.”

That sounded intense. Renji’s heart leaped. “Uh… for what?”

“I’m afraid my mod soul…” Byakuya looked out at the waterfall view for a moment before finally confessing, “…ate your bouquet.”

Renji’s mouth hung open for a second, trying to picture it. While he was chasing all the ghost kids around, he hadn’t paid much attention to Byakuya’s mod soul…or his own for that matter. “He… ate it?”

“Yes, while sobbing, apparently,” Byakuya said dryly. “Luckily, none of the flowers are poisonous. Honestly, there’s something seriously wrong with Kisuke Urahara. Do you get along all right with him?”

Slurping some of the salty, nutty soup, Renji considered. “I guess,” he said after a while. “I mean, he’s very hard to talk to. I can’t get a straight answer out of him, even when it’s for something simple like, ‘hey, where do you keep your extra toilet paper.’”

After fishing out a few of the vegetables with his chopsticks, Byakuya nodded. “Yet that hell cat loves him so. I don’t understand it.”

“Lady Yoruichi? Yeah, she’s always around. You think maybe it’s a threesome?”

Byakuya raised a delicate eyebrow, “Three? With whom else is she sleeping?”

“Well, the way she tells it, Captain Soi Fon, but I got the impression Soi Fon hates Urahara with a burning passion. I meant her and him and that Tessai guy.” Renji said, using his chopsticks to shovel the last of the veggies into his mouth. “I mean, the way they are together, it seems pretty domestic.”

“Is that so?” Byakuya seemed a bit scandalized by this idea. “Tsukabishi? The former kidō commander? With the mustache and glasses? He’s taller than you, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, he is,” Renji admitted grudgingly, “And built like a brick wall, and I’ve seen him in nothing but a frilly pink apron.”

Byakuya coughed a little. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Yeah, the kidō commander likes to cook French toast in the semi-nude. It’s… awkward, especially since their two kids are always running around.”

“They have children? Together?” Byakuya was no longer eating, he was so intrigued.

“I don’t know for sure, but I’d bet money on it,” Renji said, leaning in conspiratorially. “Neither of them kids is what you’d call normal. They don’t seem to have another home to go to, and… well, didn’t Tessai get kicked out of the Soul Society for using forbidden magic? And, it’s not like Urahara doesn’t know how to cook up a soul or two.”

They separated when the waitress came to collect their bowls and the empty tea kettle.

“I’m very sure that’s against the law,” Byakuya murmured, once she was out of earshot.

“I’m pretty sure that’s why he keeps you the hell away from his shop.” Renji agreed.

For the next course, the waitress brought a plate that held scallops grilled in their shells, smothered in a golden miso sauce. Lime slices decorated the plate, cut in shapes of falling leaves. The glistening fruit was almost luminescent. Even Renji had to take a minute to admire the dish before digging in.

Byakuya was the first to lift one of the scallops and place it on Renji’s plate. “Do you suppose all the mod souls were… trial runs for their progeny?”

That thought had never occurred to Renji, but it made a weird sort of sense. All the mod souls he’d encountered so far were, at best, extremely juvenile. Kon was the only one who seemed even half-way human, and from what Renji’d heard he’d been accidentally shipped with some things from the Soul Society, not ‘homegrown,’ as it were. 

Renji tried one of the scallops, and then said, “I don’t know about Jinta, but Ururu does have superpowers of some kind. She got between me and an Arrancar. In the air.”

“She did? We didn’t see that part of the fight,” Byakuya said, reminding Renji that the Twelfth Division had had some kind of spy cameras in operation.

“Well, that just makes me more convinced she’s their kid,” Renji said. Seeing an intense look flash through Byakuya’s eye, Renji wagged his chopstick in Byakuya’s direction. “Don’t even think about it, Taicho. You can’t go after Urahara. He’s our biggest ally in this fight, and, anyway, the kids are nice. Don’t go being a home wrecker. Yoruichi wouldn’t thank you for it. And Tessai’d melt your ass.”

Byakuya had been about to say something and stopped, “Melt?”

Renji waved his fingers like he was doing a complex kidō spell. “Melt your ass!”

“Ah, yes, excellent point,” Byakuya said, though he seemed to find Renji’s antics amusing.

“Anyways, I was just wondering if they all sleep together in a big pile or what?” Renji said hunting around the plate for anything edible. Had he really eaten all the scallops already? Damn, he hoped Byakuya had gotten some.

“You’re the one living there. You can’t tell?”

“No, the handbook says I can’t wander around without an escort and anyway, I wouldn’t dare. You’d never find the body.” At Byakuya’s raised eyebrows, Renji shook his head, “No, I don’t mean like that, a person could get lost if you didn’t bring string or something,” Renji said, tipping back his sake bowl. “I swear that place is bigger on the inside than it looks.”

Byakuya nodded thoughtfully, as the waitress brought the next course. There were balls of quail meat with deep fried eggplant and green beans. After she left, Byakuya took up the serving chopsticks and said, “Did you say ‘handbook’?”

Renji glanced up. “Right, I never told you. Kooky Kisuke has a roommate handbook about the size of a brick. There’s rules about bringing people home and what to eat in the fridge. I read the whole thing, twice. I mean, he was really hesitant about letting me stay there, and, honestly I don’t want to piss the guy off who taught Ichigo how to decimate everybody he fights.”

“Are you hoping he’ll teach you?”

Byakuya sounded a little… hurt? Jealous? So, Renji said honestly, “I was, but he won’t. I even asked him, twice, but he’s regulated me to the sidelines with Ichigo’s sidekicks. I’m nothing more than a regular shinigami; I’m not special enough for his personal attention.”

Thin lips pressed together. Byakuya set his chopsticks down and clasped his hands on the table, “Are you sure I couldn’t leave an anonymous tip with the head captain’s office regarding illegal soul manufacturing?”

“Heh,” Renji smiled at how quickly Byakuya was ready to take up his fight. “Nah, thing is, Urahara only has eyes for the unusual. He can’t see a diamond in the rough, like me. You got to be a shiny gem no one ain’t never seen before, with flecks of gold, and probably growing tentacles, before he’ll even stop and take a look. It’s a shame, but I got nothing to be ashamed of.”

Byakuya went back to his green beans, seemingly mollified by this answer. But, after Renji had eaten nearly all the quail, Byakuya looked up from his plate and said, “A gem, you say.” Byakuya’s chopsticks chased a few bits of uneaten eggplant around his plate thoughtfully. Then, he finally said, “Don’t you think Kurosaki is something a bit… darker?”

“You mean like a Hollow?” _Like my damned soul? The part of me you want to rip apart with your purification rite? The part that makes me strong like Ichigo?_ Renji added silently.

Byakuya’s voice was low. “You know about the mask?”

“It’s an open secret,” Renji crunched down some green beans. “The kid’s the only one who doesn’t want to talk about it. I think he’s ashamed of it. But, I guess he’s learning to control it better… somehow. That part I don’t know that much about. It’s super hush-hush.”

“I’m grateful to hear that Kurosaki is learning control. That aspect of him was very… unpredictable.”

Renji raised an eyebrow. A very careful understatement from Byakuya, that was. Renji slurped up one of the deep-fried eggplant and thought that it must have been very humiliating for a noble like Byakuya to be defeated by a Hollow-hybrid. And Senbonzakura had shattered along with the kenseikan.

Knowing the kenseikan’s history must have made that defeat that much more bitter. A Hollow bringing down the true first Hollow hunters’ clan head….. and breaking that symbol they wore to show their dominance over Hollows? Damn.

All while blatantly breaking their precious law?

Fuck.

“Well, he’s on our side now,” Renji said as the waitress came, once again to clear plates. He was surprised to discover he was actually starting to feel full. Glancing up at her, Renji said, “Thanks. Hey, how many more courses are we expecting?”

“Just two more, sir.”

Renji nodded and thanked her again as she took the last of the empty dishes away. Byakuya was trying not to smile at him. “What?” 

“I didn’t think it was possible to satiate your appetite.”

“All this stuff is so good,” Renji said, filling up Byakuya’s sake bowl and then refilling his own. “And it just keeps coming. It’s kind of my idea of paradise.”

“Yes,” Byakuya agreed. He glanced over at the waterfall garden. Renji followed his gaze. A rosy glow of sunset bathed the mountainside and fireflies danced along the water’s surface. “I hope we’ll have time for a soak.”

“We could skip the last two,” Renji said. Rubbing his belly for emphasis, “I really am full.”

“You mean, not finish?”

“Yeah, why not?”

Byakuya seemed to try to wrap his head around it. His frown implied he’d failed. “It’s rude and not at all proper.”

Renji nodded, trying not to look disappointed. “Yeah, you’re right. It was just a suggestion. I’m sure I can stuff--”

“Yet, we don’t have much time,” Byakuya checked his watch again, “And, before I have to leave, I would very much like to see you naked.”

Renji’s eyes went wide at the bold neediness in Byakuya voice. “Uh… okay, then! Let me get the waitress and we can settle up and leave. I’ll be the rude one, alright? I’ll lie say I got a phone call or something.”

“Yes, and I’ll leave a big tip. That will make me feel better.”

#

They’d forgotten about Renji’s tattoos, however. 

The attendant was an old man with pure white hair everywhere except his head, reminding Renji uncomfortably of a fuzzier version of the head captain. The attendant frowned at them over a pair of reading glasses that were perched low on his nose. “I’m sorry, young man, but you’re barred.”

A woman came out of the pink door, wearing a bikini top. Her waist was wrapped in a towel, but Renji could see a rose tattoo on her bicep, “Oi! She’s got one,” he pointed out.

The woman nervously covered her arm and scurried away, clearly not wanting to get involved.

“One,” the attendant retorted, holding up a finger. “And anyone can tell she’s no gangster.”

Renji on the other hand… right. He sighed and turned to Byakuya, “What do you want to do?”

“Thank you for your diligence, we’ll be on our way” Byakuya said somewhat sarcastically to the attendant, as he turned on his heels and walked away.

“We’re giving up?”

“Not in the least. I have a plan. We’re going to have to rent a room. We need to lock up the mod souls somewhere their damage can be minimized.”

#

Renji had to admit, for a guy who was all about the law and rules, Byakuya had a decidedly devious streak. 

They left their gigai tied to the bed in the hotel room, and slipped downstairs to the ōnsen completely unseen. Renji only felt a little self-conscious when they snuck past the attendant without paying.

“I’ve bought a hotel room for the night,” Byakuya said, at Renji’s look. “It more than covers the cost of a bath.” Byakuya paused suddenly. Renji nearly collided with him, but in a swift move, Byakuya spun Renji around and pushed him up against the wall of cubby holes. Renji’s back slapped up hard against the shelves. Curious heads, turned in their direction, but their eyes glanced around blindly, trying to discern what had caused the noise.

Byakuya’s hand was against Renji’s chest, right over his sternum, holding him firmly in place. The other tore at the kosode, pulling it open wide. “And,” Byakuya said, “Now I can see you naked.”

Even though he knew the other men in the changing room couldn’t see them, Renji flushed with embarrassment as Byakuya pulled at the kosode and shitage desperately, exposing Renji’s chest. Renji gripped the shelves as the silk pooled around his elbows. Hungrily, Byakuya’s fingers traced lines on Renji’s chest. 

Letting Byakuya grip and stroke him possessively without offering any resistance, Renji watched Byakuya’s face. Byakuya’s eyes were heavy-lidded and shadowed. His lips were parted and wet with desire…or was it hunger? Was this a demon moment? Should Renji say something—lay down some rules and boundaries—now, before things got out of hand?

The soft keening sound that came from the back of Byakuya’s throat, cinched it. 

Renji pulled his arms free of his sleeves, and leaned into Byakuya’s ear. “No kidō, no restraints that aren’t part of your body, but we can go as hard as you want. You can push me down or up against the wall, I don’t care.” Renji let his tongue curl into the sensitive part of Byakuya’s ear, and he growled, “I’ll even fight you, if you want me to.”

Byakuya never even lifted his eyes from Renji’s body. All he said was: “Yes.”

“Okay, deal,” Renji smiled. “Oh, and we probably shouldn’t break the Human World.”

“I’ll do my best,” Byakuya said, the first trace of warmth in his voice. Then, it hardened again, “Now remove the rest of your clothing.”

Renji started to automatically obey, but then stopped. “Make me.”

Byakuya tweaked Renji’s nipple and said, “I would, but I might rip your precious hakama.”

Oh, ho-ho! It was going to like this, was it? Renji gave Byakuya a hard look. “Yeah, well, maybe I want you to tear my clothes off my body.”

Byakuya’s fingers walked up Renji’s chest and then flicked him in the nose, hard. The move was as surprising as it was demeaning. “I don’t take orders from you. You obey me.”

What else could Renji do in this situation? With a roar, he slammed his body into Byakuya, forcing them both back towards the opposite wall. He gripped Byakuya’s shoulders, and kissed him hard. A changing bench caught the back of Byakuya’s calf and they both went sprawling to the floor. Not wanting to cause Byakuya any real injury, the moment Renji felt them toppling, he put an arm around the back of Byakuya’s head to protect it and twisted them into a roll. 

The wet title stingingly slapped Renji’s skin and the air came out of his lungs as he took the brunt of the fall. Ironically, Renji ended up flat on his back. While he struggled to catch his breath, Byakuya was already pulling himself from Renji’s rough embrace to straddle him.

“That was very disobedient,” Byakuya said, his voice a little purr that sent shivers deep into Renji’s core. A hand slipped through the slit in the side of Renji’s hakama and fingers curled around pubic hair. “I see you’re as shameless and immodest as usual. Perhaps I should just fuck you with your hakama on.”

Renji hoped by ‘fucking’ Byakuya wasn’t thinking about actual penetration, considering they had no lube. Maybe he should have been clearer when he said ‘we can be as rough as you want.’ Perhaps he should have added the qualifier, ‘within reason.’

Sometimes the best defense was a counter attack. So, Renji reached up and grabbed Byakuya right between the legs. 

Byakuya looked utterly startled to have been caught like this, and his eyes widened even more when Renji gave his a little squeeze. Undoing the tie of his obi with his free hand, Renji snarled, “How about you suck my dick?”

Gray eyes narrowed. “A clever move, but you can’t possible hold your advantage in such a position.”

“Maybe not,” Renji said, clumsily flipping away the fabric from his bulging cock, “But, I’m willing to try.”

Byakuya’s eyes went to Renji’s cock and seemed to savor the sight of it, glistening and hard. For someone who claimed not to enjoy giving head, Byakuya certainly licked his lips in a seductive way. 

Renji sat up with his legs spread. He tried to hang on to Byakuya’s balls, while putting a hand on Byakuya shoulder to direct him down. But, Renji knew he’d have to give up this game fast if Byakuya didn’t want to comply. Rough fun aside, there was no way Renji would shove Byakuya into his crotch. It didn’t take a genius to know that was crossing a line with Byakuya. In fact, Renji was very careful with the amount of pressure he put on Byakuya’s shoulder. He made sure not to touch any part of his face or head or to snag hair in any way.

Even though his arms were long, Renji didn’t have the reach. He felt his grip slipping from between Byakuya’s legs, but Byakuya seemed to be playing along. He continued his slow dip forward, until his tongue darted out and flicked across Renji’s head. It was light and teasing, and made Renji’s breath quicken and his toes curl.

Underneath his fingers, Renji could feel Byakuya getting aroused, so he palmed at the fabric over his cock in time to Byakuya’s little quick licks and sucks… mostly. It was already almost too much, and it was getting difficult for Renji to do anything more than pant and moan piteously.

Byakuya looked up into his eyes and smiled wickedly. After one last curling lick from his tongue, Byakuya said, “Are you feeling more compliant? Are you ready to serve me on your hands and knees?”

Oh, hell yes. 

Byakuya pulled himself up into more of an upright kneeling position and quickly undid his hakama. Picking himself up off the floor, Renji crawled forward. Needing his hands to prop himself up, he used his face to nudge aside fabric until he found what he was looking for. His ass high in the air and his back bent, he lapped at Byakuya’s balls, as in apology to their earlier rough treatment. Byakuya murmured in approval and petted Renji’s hair encouragingly.

A group of rowdy boys pushed open the changing room door and came flooding in, laughing and shouting at each other. Even though Renji was fully aware no one could see him like this, deep shame colored his face, thinking of how he must look—on all fours like an animal and drooling so hungrily at Byakuya’s cock.

He closed his eyes and tried not to sense all the movement around them. He let himself get lost in the smell and taste. He loved how much stronger that elusive manly, musky scent of Byakuya was here. His cock was like the rest of his alabaster skin, hard and almost unyielding in its strength, but unlike any other part of Byakuya, his cock was always hot.

Byakuya gripped Renji hair tighter and directed him upwards. Renji nibbled along the length of him greedily, anxious to please. Taking Byakuya into his mouth, he curled his tongue along the length and began to suck in long, languid strokes, his own cock thrusting in rhythm.

Renji opened his eyes when Byakuya started to moan. He glanced up at that usually impassive face and saw… pure passion. Byakuya’s eyes were closed, and his head tilted back just slightly. Sweat glistened on his face and his cheeks were red. His mouth hung open as he panted and groaned. Renji’s balls tightened at the sight, and he re-doubled his efforts.

He was aching to touch himself, but he figured he’d get in trouble for it. Still, getting punished for it might be fun…. He lifted his hand to move in that direction, and sure enough his wrist was caught instantly.

The awkward angle suddenly shoved Byakuya to the back of his throat. He gagged a little but managed to pulled himself back to a more comfortable position quickly. 

“Let that be a lesson,” Byakuya said, his voice still that silky, wicked tone. “You will wait until I’m finished. Then I will allow you to come while I watch.”

If Byakuya talked much more like that, he wasn’t going to have that option.

“Are you smiling at that idea?”

Renji glanced up and smirked as much as he could, given his full mouth. Did Byakuya seriously not know how much his commands turned him on?

Byakuya laughed. It was an amazing sound that nearly made Renji lose it all in a rush, and patting Renji’s head again, set Renji’s hand on his hip and said, “Honestly. I think you just pretend to be willful.”

_He’s got my number, finally._ Renji thought, giving Byakuya’s hip bone a friendly squeeze as he picked up the rhythm and the pace. If Byakuya was going to say anything more about it, it was lost to incoherent sounds of passion. Renji put all his meager skill and devotion into it until Byakuya cried out.

Renji swallowed him up as fast as he could, anxious for his own relief.

Byakuya took a moment to compose himself. Pulling the shitage around his waist, he got up off the floor and sat on the changing bench that had tripped them. “You may begin,” he said.

Getting up onto his knees, Renji leaned his back against the wall. He spread his legs so Byakuya could get a full view. He was so close, he was going to have torture himself in order for this to last any more than a few moments. So, instead of going right for the prize, he took some time touching his body. He ran his hand over his face, pretending it was Byakuya’s hand he sucked on his own fingers, while his other hand idly played with his chest and nipples.

Painfully slowly, Renji removed his fingers from his mouth to caress his own throat, finally letting his other hand stroke his cock.

Performing like this made Renji very aware of the other people in the changing room with them. Byakuya’s eyes were on his every movement, but people moved in and out of the hot springs around them. 

Maybe he did only pretend to be strong. Maybe he liked being debased this way.

Nah, there was no maybe about it, Renji knew he did.

At least, for this man, he did. Look at him, showing off like a whore. It should be shameful, but it made him shudder and shake with pleasure.

“I’m close,” Renji whispered huskily. “May I, sir?”

Byakuya seemed taken aback. He flushed deeply, but then nodded. “You may.”

And then, obediently, Renji did.

#

Renji sat on the wet tile floor feeling dirty, used, and deeply satisfied. When Byakuya got up and walked away, Renji thought he should probably get up. But, he was still experiencing tremors of aftershocks and he just didn’t have the energy. Tipping his head back, he closed his eyes. At least this way, maybe he wouldn’t have to see Byakuya go.

When a heated towel was wrapped gently around his lap, Renji’s eyes snapped open. Byakuya was there, kneeling beside him, tucking another warm blanket around his shoulders. 

Byakuya kissed Renji’s forehead lightly. “I must go soon, but I can’t leave you like this.”

He couldn’t? He used to, all the time.

“Let me know when you’re ready, and we can take a shower together,” Byakuya said. Then, to Renji’s utter shock, Byakuya sat down on the filthy floor with him and held his hand.

“What are you doing?” Renji said. Byakuya’s kosode would get stained! Renji couldn’t stand the idea of anything marring his captain’s uniform. 

“Try not to look at me like that.” Byakuya’s eyes slid away and his voice was a little terse as he explained, “I’m attempting to be comforting.”

Renji laughed kindly. “No, I didn’t mean that. I mean the floor is gross, Byakuya. I can’t stand the idea of you getting dirty.” _That’s my job_ , Renji added silently. Pulling the cloth from his shoulders, Renji said out loud, “At least sit on a towel.” 

“Why don’t I help you up instead?” Swiftly getting to his feet, Byakuya offered a hand to Renji. “Perhaps you’ll let me scrub your back?”

Let him? He’d kill to have Byakuya’s hands all over him. Taking Byakuya’s hand, Renji smiled. “Heh, well, if you’re nice, I’ll let you do the front too.”

Byakuya’s strength had Renji on his feet so fast that he would have lost the towel if Renji hadn’t made a grab for it, last minute. Face to face, Byakuya lifted himself up slightly on tiptoe to plant a kiss on Renji’s surprised lips. After a moment of soft sweetness, Byakuya pulled away and took Renji’s hand. 

As he led them to the showers, he said gruffly, “Don’t be foolish. I wouldn’t be able to control myself and we don’t have time for round two.” Renji’s grin was wide, especially when Byakuya said, “I’ll be lucky to behave decently with just your backside as temptation.”

“So, what’re you saying? That you suck so much at comfort because I’m too damn hot?”

“Precisely,” Byakuya said over his shoulder. “But I’m determined to comfort you properly. Try not to be sexy.”

Renji snorted, “You know that sounds like a challenge, right?”

Byakuya stopped when they reached the entrance to the shower area. Turning to face Renji, his expression was serious and imploring. 

“Please don’t,” Byakuya said gravely. Taking Renji’s other hand as well, Byakuya started to stare at the space between until he seemed to realize that Renji had lost the towel somewhere along the way and was looking at Renji’s naked crotch. With a little cough and a blush, Byakuya eyes rose to meet Renji’s. “I’ve done a lot of reading and it’s struck me that I’ve been especially neglectful in this regard. And…” Byakuya suddenly didn’t seem able to meet Renji’s gaze, but he wasn’t sure where else was safe to look. Closing his eyes completely and taking a resolving breath, he said, “And… I don’t want you to feel unloved, especially after such treatment.”

Renji let go of one of Byakuya’s hand, and used his finger to lift Byakuya’s chin. When Byakuya resolutely kept his eyes closed, Renji kissed them, gently, one at a time. He knew it was what he’d done at the Hanami in a shower room not unlike this one, but he hoped that memory would make what he was about to say more powerful.

“Hey, I knew this was a game this time,” Renji said. “That makes a world of difference. And, you know what? I figured out some time ago I like all that humiliation play.” When Byakuya’s eyelashes fluttered open, Renji smiled again. “Didn’t I check that in the questionnaire? I know you still have that.”

“I may have re-read that several times as well before coming here.”

“So there you go, then,” Renji said, letting his hand run down Byakuya’s throat to rest on his shoulder. With faux petulance, Renji sighed, “I suppose I can turn down the awesome a notch or two, because I really would love this comforting back rub you’re promising.”

Byakuya’s blush was still furious, and his eyes closed again. “It may be awkward and a bit stilted.”

“Sounds perfect,” Renji smiled, stealing a kiss from Byakuya’s nose. “You know I love everything about you, especially your unguarded moments.”

Byakuya frowned. “Did I know this?”

“Well, you should,” Renji said, his finger lightly touching Byakuya’s nose again, “My knees get all wibbly-wobbly whenever you’re awkward and unsure.”

Byakuya’s eyes went wide. “I hope that’s not too often.”

Renji shook his head in exasperation. Who knew Byakuya was so insecure about this stuff? “Of course not! That’s why they’re so damn precious and hot!”

“Ah,” Byakuya said in understanding. “Good.”

“You gonna scrub my back or what? I’m getting cold.”

Byakuya let out a little huff. “And, you, you’re ever impatient.”

“You know you love it.”

Byakuya took Renji by the hand again and turned on one of the shower heads. “I do.” With a little helpless shake of his own head, “Gods help me, I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> * Ginnosuke is Renji's mod soul's name. I think he needs his own tag, as he's hilarious. If Byakuya's mod soul has a name and anyone knows it, let me know.


End file.
